


two girls, a band, and the god of mischief

by efree, lilithenaltum



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: 90s AU, Alternative Rock, Bisexual Female Character, Black Character(s), Canon Divergence - Pre-Thor (2011), Co-Written, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, E-mail, Garbage (Band) - Freeform, Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Multi, Music, Post-Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Recreational Drug Use
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-03-25 06:15:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13828227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/efree/pseuds/efree, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilithenaltum/pseuds/lilithenaltum
Summary: When stupidxxxgurlxxx met shirley00baby on the Garbage fan forums, the two hit it off almost instantly. Bonding over music, fashion, and art, the two girls decide to plan a meetup in New York City, choosing Garbage’s May 1998 concert as the trip to remember. A chance encounter with the mysterious Loki leads to years of adventures-spanning several states and thousands of miles-and memories neither of them would ever forget.





	1. you can keep me company (as long as you don’t care)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A correspondence starts the beginning of an adventure and a close friendship.

February 1998

* * *

 

**From:** oh_nana78@hotmail.com

**To:** im_an_anomaly14@rocketmail.com

**CC:**

**Sent:** Fri 2/20/1998 11:44 AM

**Subject: hello!!!**

So at the risk of coming across as overzealous, can I just say that I’m stupid happy that I have your email now? The inbox on the forum is terrible! I almost never think to check them and it fails to send me notifications that you’ve written back.

But anyway.

Wassup?! How is school? I know you said you were almost done with your sophomore year, are you excited? College is awesome, I love my university and I’m this close to graduating. I didn’t do summer vacations so I could get out earlier! Ha, I’m an overachiever! And I love that I don’t have to stay at home cause of my scholarship. I get my own room at the dorms. I’ve been PA since last semester. And thank god, cause my mama is a pain.

But yeah, about this tour thing. You’re thinking of going? Of course there are no dates anywhere close to me. I’m not surprised or anything, it’s a really small town and people seem to absolutely hate playing Louisiana. And when they do, it’s only in freakin' New Orleans or something. Not even Shreveport! But I got a good chunk of money saved from working at the smoothie place by campus so I can pretty much go wherever. I’ll just tell my parents I’m working through the summer again, though I already quit. That job was awful. Stupid boss.

But yeah, email me back! I can’t wait to hear from you. Also, I love your email name, it’s pretty cool.

Love,

Dana (aka Na Na, aka _stupidxxxgurlxxx_ )

(ps hahaha if this just so happens to be the WRONG email address please send it back and let me know!!!!)

* * *

 

**From:** im_an_anomaly14@rocketmail.com

**To:** oh_nana78@hotmail.com

**CC:**

**Sent:** Fri 2/20/1998 1:18 PM

**Subject: re: hello!!!**

Hey dork! Glad you finally wrote. I just got done with classes and I have to go home and get ready for work tonight, but I figured I'd stop to check my email in the library to see if you'd written or not. I'm happy you did. :D

Um so okay, that whole having your own room shit? Want it. I share mine with the most annoying girl on the planet and another chick I haven't seen since the start of the semester but once. I try staying out my dorm and at work at the park or something, but it's cold as hell right now so I'm holed up inside until the snow thaws. You guys don't really get snow do you? Or at all? Lucky duck. I hate snow. But hey, if you ever come up this way when it's snowing, I'll take you ice skating or something. That at least isn't too terrible.

Oh and yeah, jobs suck ASS. Absolute ASS. Raunchy ass, really. This little ditty I'm doing is for book and leisure money. My parents have most of my tuition covered, at least for undergrad. I may can sweet talk my Grandma into covering grad school. IF I GO OF COURSE. I'm tired of waking up at 8 am for classes that only like, four people attend.

But anyway. About the shows...uh, there's one in Chicago if you wanna come up? But to be truthful, I don't really want to go to a local show. I was kinda sorta shooting for doing some travelling.

OH MY GOD. How about a road trip? I mean, you could meet me up here and we can take off in whichever direction depending on when you have time to come up. Let's look at dates, okay? Will you be online this weekend? If you happen to check this after you get back to school Monday, disregard that part ha!

But yeah, I'm gonna be late so...later!

Luv ya,

Ryan (Yes I’m a girl, I promise) aka _shirley00baby_

Ps...obviously you have the right email :P

* * *

 

**From:** oh_nana78@hotmail.com

**To:** im_an_anomaly14@rocketmail.com

**CC:**

**Sent:** Mon 2/23/1998 11:48 AM

**Subject: re: re: hello!!!**

So I usually only check my email at school, mostly because I don’t have internet at my apartment and because there’s no way I’m going to the library on a day off...but for YOU I will make an exception. LOL. Sorry I wasn’t online this weekend, too. Ya know. Internet and all. However, one of my friends has AOL at her mom’s place and they live around the corner so maybe I can get online this weekend coming up?

That being said, I saw the drama that happened. I’m 100 percent on _beforemay_ ’s side. Why do people act like heathens while online? I know we are all a bit anonymous or whatever, but there still needs to be some common courtesy. So what if _LegaLooza_ is an OG fan? She doesn’t get to decide who is really a Garbage fan or not. It’s stupid! I’m glad I missed it though. I got really ugly and fast.

About taking a road trip, hell yeah I’ll meet you in Chicago! I’ve never been up that way before. Last day of class for the semester is May 25, but I don’t have any finals that day I don’t think so I may be able to leave for Chicago anytime after that. I’ll have to take greyhound, planes cost a little too much for me and to be honest, I’m scared of getting on one.

What date would be good? We’ve got the whole summer really. I have enough saved that I won’t need to get a job till before the next semester. I’m kinda thinking NYC would be a ton of fun, if only cause I’ve never been there either. But let me know what you think.

Later chick,

Na Na

* * *

 

**From:** im_an_anomaly14@rocketmail.com

**To:** oh_nana78@hotmail.com

**CC:**

**Sent:** Mon 2/23/1998 2:22 PM

**Subject: re: re: re: hello!!!**

Oh mannnnn the drama was...too much. I pretty much have decided to stay offline until this weekend. I’m sure it’ll blow over by then. And yah, I was totally on _beforemay_ ’s side too. I man, why wouldn’t you want more people to get into the band? Unless you feel like you have some sort of claim to Shirley and the boys, I guess...and a lot of OG fans are that way. But you know what, I was there when they released that first album too. You don’t see me acting like that but I’m also not a socially repressed old woman either. _Lega_ is like, 35 and has two kids. She’s out of line all the time cause she has nothing to do but talk shit.

But anyway, yeah get on this weekend. We’re probably just gonna talk about the shows and whatnot. Oh, and _superduck12_ (I think it’s a he, but regardless, he’s a cool guy) apparently has track listing or something for the new album? I’m excited! Means we can make like, matching tees for the shows.

NEW YORK IS GREAT LETS DO NEW YORK OKAY. I’m staying at my grandparent’s for the summer cause my folks are gonna be overseas for dad’s job and Mom doesn’t like me being home by myself. Granddad is kind of old school but Grandma? She’s cool as hell. You know she used to be a nurse during WWII and a pin up? Cool. As. Hell. I’ll ask if you can spend the night with us when you get here, pretty sure she’ll be chill with it. And we can probably take my granddad’s car to NYC. It’s just sitting in the damn garage. He never drives it anymore. I’ll have to butter him up about it so I’d better start now lol.

Oooh I almost forgot! I have no idea what you look like beside what you said in your about me on the forum. Can we swap pics and stuff? I have access to a scanner so I can upload mine really quick. Unless you wanna do snail mail? If you wanna do that, it’s fine. But look. Next email, you’re getting a pic. 

I gotta run to work again. I’ll hit you up tomorrow okay?

Bye dork!

Your girl Ryan 

* * *

 

**From:** oh_nana78@hotmail.com

**To:** im_an_anomaly14@rocketmail.com

**CC:**

**Sent:** Wed 2/25/1998 12:28 PM

**Subject: re: re: re: re: hello!!!**

I’m sorry this is a bit behind but I wasn’t feeling good yesterday, and so I skipped classes. Turns out that the burrito I ate wasn’t any good anymore. I’ve got good news though; my landlord is putting in some internet in the building and my uncle is giving me one of his older desktops so I WILL GET TO GET ONLINE A LOT NOW! And that means we won’t have to dip and dodge around trying to email each other.

So anyway. Guess who just got exempt from three of my four finals! This chick. That means I can get to Chicago a lot sooner than I thought and we can totally get to NYC sooner and spend more time there. It’ll be so much fun! I’m also cool with meeting your grandparents, they sound like neat people. Mine are too, though they’re probably a lot more old fashioned haha!

And about the picture, I’m down with it. We have a scanner in here so I’ll run by the apartment and grab some pictures and send you one. Unless you really just want a letter from me, in which case, I’ll be fine sending you some snail mail too! Send me your mailing address, I’ll pop a few presents in there as well. You know what? Let’s do packages! That will be even more fun. I’ll sneak you a bottle of Tony’s in there cause I know ya’ll don’t have any up there. 

I logged into the forum this morning just to peek and I think _beforemay_ deleted her account cause I can’t find her and I’m sad. She’s so cool. :( I wonder if anyone would know where she went? Or have an email for her? I’ll ask _throwmeinthecan82_. I think they’re good buddies. (And she’s a super nice OG fan, like you are.)

I’m gonna finish up some work and email you a pic in a few hours. 

Na Na

* * *

 

**From:** im_an_anomaly14@rocketmail.com

**To:** oh_nana78@hotmail.com

**CC:**

**Sent:** Thurs 2/26/1998 4:08 PM

**Subject: Pictureeees**

You are so FREAKING CUTE OMGGGGGG. Can I take you out sometime? Huh? Huh? HA!

I don’t know if you like girls like that (I do...is that okay? I like guys and girls the same). But I’m just gonna say that you’re so freaking gorgeous. I’m serious! You’d get so much action up here, it’s ridiculous. I can’t believe you’re single. I also can’t believe you think you’re not pretty cause you are. :D Let me upload a pic of myself really fast. I’ve got one from last year in my wallet.

So when we get to New York and you get hit on a lot I’m gonna sit back and watch. It’ll be so fun, I can’t wait. And Grandpa may be coming around to letting me drive the car! Do you have a driver’s license? You don’t really need one in the city but I’ve been told they are a must in the country. Otherwise you won’t get around, yeah?

Okay, so the gossip about _beforemay_? She’s under a new username. I’ll tell you cause I know she and you are cool. She goes by _supervixxx_ now. I hate that _Lega_ made her change her username cause I thought _beforemay_ was a cute name. :( Plus, its like the bullies are winning. They really need to work on their modding on the damn forum. 

Ah! Yeah, and the reason I know about that is cause she messaged me on the forum and said she’d get our tickets whenever we needed them. I don’t think she’s gonna be at the NYC show, she’s got work or something so she’s gonna go to one in Boston later. But this way, we’ll get tickets before the show sells out. I’m pretty sure it will. I’m excited for this weekend too; the album is supposed to be almost done now. So yeah, we may get track lists too!

Alright, I’m putting my mailing address down so we can swap packages. I’m so up for that! Anything you want from this way, let me know. Or I’ll find stuff I think you’d like!

Ryan

PS! My address:

Ryan Bergman

1467 Asbury Ave, 

Winnetka, IL 60093 

I go home on weekends so I’ll check my mail then. 

* * *

 

**From:** oh_nana78@hotmail.com

**To:** im_an_anomaly14@rocketmail.com

**CC:**

**Sent:** Thurs 2/26/1998 8:12 PM

**Subject: re: Pictureeees**

I freaking came home to internet! My uncle dropped the desktop off the other day and it took me forever to hook this thing up. But we are up and running!

WHY ARE YOU SO PRETTY. WHYYYYY?! I really don’t think anyone would hit on me with you around. :( I’m serious! You’re so freaking cool looking too! Like, the hair! The glasses! You’ve got a cool style and you seem so laid back and artsy and I love it so much!

And it's okay! I don’t mind that you like chicks too, that’s honestly pretty cool. I have two guy friends from high school who are gay. You’re the first girl I know who likes other girls but I know there’s lots of them out there lol. NO HATE OVER HERE! You might not like Louisiana (except New Orleans) much though, cause of that. People here are really closed minded and I hate it. One of these days I’m moving to California or somewhere. 

Alright so I messaged _beforemay_ (I’m pretty sure I’m going to be calling her that even with the new name) and she told me that _Lega_ got banned! Apparently one of the mods had a baby and hadn’t been on and saw all the drama and agreed with her that being a gatekeeper isn’t how she wants to run shit. I’m so happy. She’s thinking of going back to her old name since _Lega_ and her cronies are gone now. They’re probably somewhere on yahoo being complete bitches now.

Oh and I was thinking we could stay at a hostel instead of a hotel cause it’s cheaper. I’ll have to see what kind are up there. I’m sure there are some listings online somewhere. Maybe w could ask a few NYC members? I can make a thread Saturday.

I’m babysitting tonight for a little spending money (I wanna save my money for NYC) so I’ll cut this short. But here, have my address as well. It will come straight to this apartment. :D

Dana Roberson

348 Rue St. Denis

Natchitoches, LA 71457

Later gator,

Na Na

PS. I’m so happy I met you! <3


	2. pour your misery down on me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki, Prince of Asgard, finds himself on Midgard, much to his displeasure.

_Asgard, in the 3198th year of Odin’s reign_

* * *

 

The view outside his bedroom window is picturesque and beautiful but Loki pays no mind to the scenery. A trail of horses gallop across the Bifrost, headed for adventure outside of Asgard, and not for the first time, he fumes.

 

His brother and his friends are all off on a trip he should have been on. And once again, he was being punished for a silly, harmless faux pas. Loki thinks that had Thor been in a similar position, he’d have gotten merely a slap on the wrist. So what if Councilor Brynr’s son was engaged to be married? He couldn’t have a little fun before his nuptials? The boy hadn’t complained, especially when Loki’s mouth was on his neck and his hands down his britches.

 

But to be caught, _in delicate flagrante_ , was bad enough. It was both an insult and a taboo to share the bed of another man, especially one who would be taking a bride in a month’s time. And, at the insistence of Brynr, Odin had to punish his second born for such a transgression. As his mother had said, Loki knew better.

 

He had known better. He had simply not cared.

 

Even still, being grounded like a child grated at his nerves. He wouldn’t ask his father once more for a change of heart; Odin had been both irritable and unusually rigid in his punishment and it was by the grace of Frigga that Loki got off without forty licks and banishment to Breidablik to visit his mother’s relatives. It wouldn’t be the first time that’d happened and he knew he’d hate being there as opposed to home where he could, at least, continue his daily routine.

 

And so he’d fester here, he was sure. Thor and the Warrior’s Three and the Lady Sif would all be gone for weeks on end, no doubt. They’d come home with tales of battle and glory and he would stew in jealousy and irritation. Perhaps, he thought, as he shifted on the windowsill, he should start preparing himself for it right now.

 

With a glimmer of light, the travelers were gone and Loki was left alone with the beautiful landscape. He didn’t hear his mother come so much as he sensed her; angry as he was at the unfairness of everything and at his father, he felt his temper cool considerably where Frigga was involved. He turned his head to greet her and attempted at least a glimmer of a smile.

 

“Mother.”

 

“Do you plan to sit and pout for the entire time your brother is gone?” she asks, leisurely strolling through his sitting room, a knowing look in her face. He rolls his eyes but there is no malice at all in the motion. If anything, it’s something of a comfort to know that she understands him so well.

 

“Not the entire time,” he says, and he holds out a hand for her to join him at the sill. She accepts, warm, soft skin comforting him in ways nothing else ever could. Frigga gathers her skirts and sits in front of him, quiet for a long while the way she is when she’s contemplating the situation. Loki wonders if perhaps she’d convinced Father to rescind the punishment. He doesn’t quite dare to hope, however.

 

He’s right, he finds, when she finally starts to speak again.

 

“You know I agree with you, by the way. Your father was a bit too unyielding in his terms and for the sake of a man who only wanted to see you humiliated for virtue of his small minded ideas.” She doesn’t have to spell it out for him; Loki knows Brynr had been more disgusted that his son was caught with a man instead of a woman. It has little to do with fidelity concerning a betrothal.

 

“And yet, he put the feelings of a bigot over the well being of his son. Why am I not truly surprised?” He scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest, but Frigga isn’t at all put off. She leans forward and raises a brow, eyes boring into his face until he has to look at her. She can be truly unsettling sometimes. He likes to think he inherited that trait from her.

 

“Whatever you think of your Father, you have to realize what position your indiscretion put him in.” Loki winces at the word and tries to think of it in political terms instead of personal. “Vanaheim is a valuable and powerful ally to the crown. Councilor Brynr can influence the Vanir king more than you may think into starting something based solely on the behavior of a prince.”

 

Loki sighs, but he knows she’s right. Even still, he counters her argument. “Brynr is a small fish in a big pond on Vanaheim, Mother, you know that. He’s deliberately puffed up his importance to the Vanir court.”

 

Frigga waves her hand about, clucking under her tongue. “Even small fish have a place in a pond, Loki. Offending the Vanir in any way possible would be foolhardy and detrimental. Considering the circumstances, I think he did what he thought was both lenient and right.”

 

“It’s only that I’d planned this trip for months,” he whines. He hates how petulant he sounds, like a child, but it still doesn’t seem fair. At the very least, he could have made Loki come home early or punished him after the trip. But Odin doesn’t seem to want to budge, so there’s nothing he can do but sit and scowl.

 

“I’m aware of that, my son,” Frigga says, though not unkindly. She grasps his hand once more and her thumb strokes circles into his skin. “And while I’m sure your brother regrets your absence, you must simply take this as a lesson to be more careful in your choices.” She pauses for a moment and twines their fingers together. The action makes him smile, no matter how bitter he feels.

 

“I can’t rescind his punishment, and now that it’s made public, neither can the King. But I can soften the blow, mayhaps. You have a choice. You may either idle here with us in the palace, where you’ll no doubt fester in your resentment. You can always visit my aunt and uncle in Breidablik if you’d like, but I’m pretty certain you’ve had your fill of their company for some time.”

 

Loki sniffs but he grants his mother a slight smile. “You must know how much I adore Aunt Ragna,” he says, ignoring how his mother’s rolling eyes. “But I’m sure her ideas of leisure clash sharply with mine.”

 

“Mmhm, which is why I’ve managed to work out one last option. And not for naught, I do say that if you choose this option and proceed to disappoint me-“

 

“You’ll turn me into a newt, yes, Mother I know.”

 

Frigga narrows blue eyes and for a moment, her beautiful, regal face is terrifyingly fierce.

 

“No. I’ll have you whipped in court myself. I hate arguing with your father. I _hate_ it. But for you, I risked incurring his wrath and for you, I’m putting my name on the line. He’s doing this as a favor for _me_.”

 

Loki stills for a moment and then moves to take his hand from Frigga’s but she holds fast. She sighs then, tilting her head and imploring him to look at her. “I don’t say that to scare you, sweet boy.”

 

“You’ve somehow managed to do just that.”

 

Frigga’s smile is taut. “Then perhaps this time you’ll behave?”

 

“You haven’t told me the last option,” he says, darting his eyes away from hers to glance back out the window. He wonders if staying home for once would be the better option, if maybe he can work his way back into his father’s good nature simply by playing the part of the good son. There are always more spells to learn and training to do and there’s a newborn foal he’d wanted to get a good look at in the stables. And then Frigga presents him with his third choice and all thought of playing good and fair goes out the window.

 

“You can spend some time on Midgard, if you’d like. It’s been quite a long time since you’ve been there and I think you’ll find it quite different from your last endeavor.”

 

He’d been but a small boy the one time he’d gone and had found the whole place a mix of asinine and amusing. But the wheels in Loki’s head spin now and he thinks of all the delicious trouble he can get into on Midgard. Humans were notoriously stagnant in their development and easy to influence, and he has half a dozen ideas of what to do and what ruckus to cause and how to hide it when he his mother speaks again.

 

“Loki? Your choice?”

 

He lets his face fall into a pleasant, thoughtful mask and smiles.

 

“Midgard sounds quite interesting, actually. I think I’d like to see it again.”

* * *

 

Arrangements are made and bags are packed as Loki prepares for his trip. He remains the thoughtful, dutiful son, placating his father and mother with promises to remain on his very best behavior. In his head, he’s already thought of ways to subvert Heimdall’s watchful eyes so he could get into whatever trouble he could possibly find. An orgy with a number of willing humans sounded more than appealing.

 

“You understand that whatever you do will reflect on the crown, yes?”

 

Odin walked beside his son toward the Bifrost, where a dozen bags of luggage and several servants waited. Frigga flanked his other side, her arm in his and turned her head toward her husband, curious to know how Loki would respond. She, of all people, knew he was still sore about being grounded on the trip with Thor, and had cautioned him against showing that anger in his father’s presence.

 

“He should believe that you have thought long and hard on your actions and fully intend to serve this punishment with a positive attitude.”

 

Even as she’d said as such, Frigga’s face had held the sort of humor that he only saw whenever the two of them shared some clandestine secret. He’d taken his mother’s advice to heart, however. Whatever he’d done as far as his behavior went had earned him a luxury penthouse in New York City and the admonition to simply keep watch that his actions were becoming of a Prince of Asgard.

 

Odin’s hand lay heavy on his son’s shoulders.

 

“Of course, Father,” Loki says, looking appropriately demure. “Always. And I must apologize once more for…for my transgressions with the counselor's son. It won’t happen again.” Odin nods, the crinkles in his eye making him look more like the old kind king that he tried to portray.

 

“Good, good. Now, you will show any humans you encounter the appropriate graciousness as becoming a prince. And you’ll be sure to explore as much as you can; I think a little time somewhere you aren’t familiar will do you good.” Loki graces Odin with a respectful smile and accepts the embrace. “I want to hear all about your visit when you come home, son.”

 

“So do I,” Frigga adds when he turns to his mother. She kisses both his cheeks and pulls him into a warm hug that he reciprocates genuinely. “And be sure to bring us back a souvenir if you can. It’s been quite some time since I’ve been on Midgard.”

* * *

 

A week passes before anything remotely close to interesting happens to Loki in New York. It’s a big city, sure, and loud and seemingly exciting at first, but it’s still a backwater swamp in comparison to Asgard and he’s mostly miserable there. It’s also lonely, with no one familiar around and nothing to entertain him beside a book or two. He wonders, as he thumbs through another chapter of “The Thief in the Forest” if perhaps he’d made the wrong decision.

 

Wouldn’t be the first time.

 

The first week he spends walking about the city. While there isn’t much to do that interests him (save the library and the beautiful park across the street), it’s a lot better than moping in his bedroom. And, whether he readily wants to admit it or not, he enjoys the people watching. Humans are strange, weird little creatures but they have their quirks and stories and sometimes he catches part of them simply by being still and listening.

 

On a Tuesday, as he snacks on a basket of fresh fruit and enjoys the warm sunshine, he listens to an argument between a young woman and her boyfriend. It’s a minor squabble, something involving another woman or three and Loki is annoyed to find her in tears and completely upset about the situation instead of making the most out of it.

 

Why not invite them all along for some fun, he thinks, popping a grape into his mouth and rolling his eyes. She’s making a scene, all snotty and choked up and the poor guy is debating about the validity of her accusations. He’s a handsome fellow, in a way, if you could consider young human males as truly handsome. Loki’s been told that they generally don’t reach their full potential till later in live, say…around forty or so. And sadly that’s half of their pathetic lives.

 

When the young woman storms off, he sits quietly and waits and watches as the young man flops down on the adjacent bench and pouts. It’s a few minutes more before he’s noticed, and when he is he has to keep a hold on the grin that threatens to break free and overwhelm his thin face. He’s been told his teeth are too white, too pointy, a little too threatening sometimes and the last thing he wants to do is scare the boy off.

 

“You heard all that, huh?”

 

The question is pointed at Loki, who keeps his hands still and his face both placid and somewhat sympathetic.

 

“I did. Any of it true?”

 

He shakes his head, sadly. “Not at all. I’d never cheat on her. Her last boyfriend did and she’s got these hang-ups and…” He lets out a pitiful sigh and gives Loki a weak smile.

 

“Sorry dude. I just got a little carried away with-“

 

“Not a problem, my friend.” He pats the spot beside him on his own bench and the young man moves over, offering him his hand.

 

“Name’s Kyle,” he says, and Loki smiles.

 

“Loki,” he says simply, and watches the boy’s face twist in confusion. “It’s foreign,” he amends and Kyle nods in understanding. “Are you from around here, Kyle?”

 

“Ah, sort of? Not really, but I know my way around.” And then Kyle and launches into a long, overdrawn explanation of how he was born in some place called Vermont, but moved to Connecticut as a child and was in New York for college. Loki politely inquires about how he likes the city, the university he attended, and his studies. He’s a dutiful and attentive listener through this all, though he’s mostly thinking of ways to lure the boy back to the penthouse for a bit of fun. He’s not sure if he’s even interested in men, but he’s certain he’ll find out shortly. Or, at the very least, he could possibly introduce him to things he hadn’t considered. That was always fun.

 

“And the semester is almost out so I’ve got to clear my dorm and head home to help Grandpa with his store. I don’t really wanna, but if Cindy’s gonna break up with me, well, what other reason do I have to stay?”

 

Kyle’s in another bad mood this time, quieting as he stews about being wrongfully accused of indiscretions he had no part of. Loki takes this time to ponder his next move and finishes his fruit, but not before offering the last strawberry to his new friend. And then, as the cloud around Kyle darkens a bit more, he pounces.

 

“You say you’ve another week in town?”

 

“Mmmhm, yeah. I’m leaving next Monday.”

 

“Well, as you already are aware, I’m quite unfamiliar with the city and it’s layout. I was thinking…perhaps, if I’m not encroaching and you’ve nothing more pressing to do…would you mind maybe…”

 

“You need a tour guide?” Kyle’s face perks up a bit at that and Loki has to tamper down his excitement. It’s a little pathetic how excited he is to finally have something and maybe someone to do. He ignores that; desperate times call for desperate measures and this marginally attractive boy will do for the time being.

 

“That would be most excellent, yes!” he enthuses, and Kyle jumps from the bench, gesturing wildly for Loki to join him.

 

“Well, look dude. I don’t have shit to do for the next few days so yeah, let’s go do a little exploring.”

 

That is, precisely, what he spends the entire next week doing, only he doesn’t see much of New York City and more of Kyle’s naked ass. He’s an amusing little thing, especially when he’s all worked up and ready to go. And before Loki bores of him, he’s better than rereading the same book or watching the dull Midgard television.

 

“I don’t go for guys, man,” Kyle had insisted, panting with Loki’s hands down his pants but his body said otherwise. “I mean, there was that one time Junior year in the locker room with Trevor Gundry,” he stammers “…and…and, um…fuck…Heath Jones gave me a bj after prom, but that don’t count as gay or anything.”

 

Loki grins then and tugs the smiley face boxers down to his knees, a thrill shooting through him at Kyle’s deep inhale and whimper as his lips touch the head of his cock.

 

“Does this count as gay?” he asks, and sucks him deep into his hot, wet mouth.

 

He never gets a real, concrete answer.


End file.
